Jimmy Page at 69: Planning a 2013 Solo Tour

Happy birthday to Mr. James Patrick Page, born on January 9, 1944, in Middlesex, England.

Jimmy Page needs no introduction, of course, and not surprisingly, he's been ranked at #3 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time".

And I love that the magazine describes Page as "the pontiff of power riffing".

Of course, it's not just founding Zeppelin or his guitar chops that have made him such a living legend.

From Real Rock Guitar: A Classic Rock Bible of the 60's and 70's:

"Along with a highly original and well-rounded guitar style, influenced by blues, country and international folk music, Jimmy Page has the grand distinction of being one of the most respected and influential songwriters in the history of rock music."

He made the announcement last month that he'd hit the road this year, but there's no word on whether that means a new solo album is forthcoming or not.